Air entrainment device for seed delivery

ABSTRACT

A seed delivery device including a frame defining at least one seed chamber. The frame includes a sidewall and an air permeable floor. Seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable floor through an input port. An air input channel is utilized to introduce an air stream into the seed chamber and direct it through the air permeable floor such that seed is lifted from the air permeable floor to an outlet port. An air bypass channel is configured to separate the air stream into a first stream that is directed through the air permeable floor and a second stream that is directed through the bypass channel and recombined with the first stream, at a point prior to the output port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/858,876, filed Apr. 8, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/829,654, filed Jul. 2, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No.8,448,585, issued May 28, 2013, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/222,792, filed Jul. 2, 2009, allof which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Large scale agricultural planters typically include a plurality ofindividual hoppers and seed metering units. During planting, the hopperholds the mass of seed that the planter distributes onto the ground. Themetering units are responsible for delivering the seed to the ground. Asthe planter moves over the planting surface, it is important that themetering units distribute the seed uniformly and at precise intervals toachieve proper spacing of crops. To achieve such a distribution it isimportant that the supply of seed to the seed meters is steady anduninterrupted. Accordingly, an apparatus for transporting seed from thehopper to the metering units is the subject of the present application.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from the following detailed description ofthe illustrated embodiments, accompanied by the attached drawing whereinidentical reference numerals will be used for like parts in the variousviews.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram, partly in schematic form, of an airseed delivery system incorporating an air entrainment device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of plural air entrainment devicesemployed in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lower rear perspective view of plural air entrainmentdevices employed in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an upper left rear perspective view of an air entrainmentdevice shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an upper right rear perspective view of an air entrainmentdevice shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 is an upper front right perspective view of the inventive airentrainment device;

FIG. 7 is a lengthwise vertical sectional view of an air entrainmentdevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view shown partially in section illustratingthe attachment of the inventive air entrainment device to a seed hopperand the location of seeds transiting the air entrainment prior todelivery to a seed meter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 designates a central ormain seed hopper for an agricultural row crop planter. In FIG. 1, theplanter's forward direction of travel is toward the upper right. Thehopper 10 stores seed and feeds it through a lower distribution tray 11(which may be elongated laterally and mounted to the bottom of thehopper housing) under gravity. The seed is delivered directly from thedistribution tray 11 to one or more air entrainment devices in an airentrainment assembly 12. The function of the air entrainment assembly12, as described in more detail below, is to receive and distribute seedfrom the hopper 10 to individual seed meters 36, as will be furtherdescribed below. The seed meters 36 may be conventional air seed meters,for example, the meter disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,093,548 and7,152,542, but other air seed meters may be used, as well, andmechanical seed meters may also be used with the present invention.

The seed meters 36 are integral with conventional planter row unitsschematically represented at 35, 35A . . . 35N. Thus, the seed meters 36and row units need not be described in further detail for a completeunderstanding of the instant invention.

The system can be set up such that the air entrainment assembly 12 hasan individual outlet conduit 45 for each individual air seed meter 36.Thus, persons skilled in the art will fully understand the invention,and all its modifications by understanding one air entrainment device12A and its associated distribution and usage.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fan 20, or other source of pressurized air, forcesair through conduit 21 (shown diagrammatically as a line, forsimplicity). As explained, the conduit 21 could be a single conduit (asillustrated) or a number of separate conduits, all coupled to the samesource of pressurized air, or if there are a number of seed deliveryconduits, they also could be grouped so that one or more individual seeddelivery conduits could be fed by a single source of pressurized air.Similarly, plural sources of pressurized air could be used with pluralseed delivery conduits and seed meters.

One feature of the present invention is the flexibility with whichdesired systems could be arranged, without substantial increase in costsand with use of standardized, interchangeable sub-assemblies andcomponents.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the blocks 35, 35A, 35N represent individualplanter row units which may be conventional, each including a seed meteradapted to receive a seed delivery inlet assembly, such as the onedesignated 38. The seed meter 36 may be of the type disclosed in theabove-identified U.S. patents. A seed inlet assembly 38 is mounted toand provides each individual seed meter 36 with seed. Each inletassembly 38 includes an input port 39 that is connected to conduit 45.Seed is delivered to the seed reservoir of each meter 36 through aninput port 39 within the seed inlet assembly.

As further shown in FIG. 1, fan 20 is connected by a manifold 20A by ameans of a hose or conduit diagrammatically shown at 21. Manifoldsection 20A has plural outlet ports one of which is connected to aninput of an associated section of the air entrainment assembly 12. Theair source 20 may feed additional manifold sections, as persons skilledin the art will appreciate. The manifold sections 20A may comprise asingle, integral conduit feeding pressurized air to all outlets incommon. Each manifold section 20A feeds an associated air entrainmentassembly 12 as will be described presently, depending on the size of theplanter. Each air entrainment assembly 12 has a plurality of outletseach connected to a respective conduit 45 for providing seed underpressure to plural seed meters 36.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, upper and lower perspective views of anexemplary air entrainment assembly frame 12 are respectively shown forillustrative purposes. Air entrainment assembly 12 includes a baseassembly 121 and an air distribution assembly 127. In the embodimentshown, base assembly 121 includes eight bases 121A-121H which are eachshaped and configured to receive a respective air entrainment device 12Aand an air distribution unit 127. Base assembly 121 may include more orless than eight bases, each adapted for attachment to a respective airdistribution assembly and air entrainment device. Only one base assembly121 is shown in the figures for simplicity. It should be noted, however,that base assembly 121 could include more or less bases and each basecould include a corresponding air entrainment device depending on need.Each base is in communication with one or more air distributionassemblies 127 attached to that base.

Referring further to FIG. 4, there is shown an upper perspective view ofan individual air entrainment device 12A in accordance with the presentinvention. Base 121 of air entrainment device 12A includes plural spacedrecesses 122 in an upper portion of the air entrainment device. Eachrecess 122 is shaped and configured to receive a hinge portion 128 ofdistribution assembly 127. A screw or pin 140 is inserted throughaligned apertures 123 disposed in an upper portion of base 121. Thescrew or pin 140 spans each recess 122 and engages a corresponding hingeportion 128 to secure base 121 to the air entrainment device 12A.Further, the hinged relationship allows base to be rotated downwardlyabout the connecting pin 140 to provide clean-out access for airentrainment device 12A.

Referring also to FIG. 4 as well as to FIGS. 5 and 6, which are alsoupper perspective views of air entrainment device 12A, additionaldetails of the invention will now be described. Air under pressure isintroduced into an air manifold 500 of the air entrainment device 12A.The air manifolds of adjacent air entrainment devices 12A are alignedwith one another and form a common air distribution assembly 127(described above) for plural air entrainment devices attached to acommon base 121A. Each base 121A includes an air permeable surface orfloor, such as a perforated surface 124. As will be described furtherherein, seed is distributed to air entrainment device 12 from hopper 10through a seed conduit. The seed falls onto perforated surface 124. Whenair entrainment device 12A is operational, air flows through perforatedsurface 124 in the direction of arrow 132 shown in the sectional view ofthe air entrainment device of FIG. 7. The properties of the perforatedsurface 124 and the air flow cause agitation of the seeds. Thisagitation causes mixing and lifting of the seeds into the air flowpassing through air entrainment device 12A for discharge through outletport 22. The dimensions of perforated surface 124 can vary depending onthe desired air flow and the seed transported through the airentrainment device 12A. However, openings 0.125 inch in diameter inperforated surface 124 have been shown to be effective. Similarly, theshape of the perforations in the surface 124 can vary, but substantiallycircular perforations have been shown to be effective.

Air entrainment device 12 further includes an air bypass channel 130running therethrough as shown in the sectional review of FIG. 7. Air isintroduced into the air bypass channel 130 via opening 134 at the lowerend of the bypass channel as shown by arrow 136 in FIG. 7. The airbypass channel 130 exits into outlet port 22 via bypass outlets 125. Aninner partition 138 within air entrainment device 12A air separates theair flowing through the air entrainment device into two streams. A firststream passes upward through perforated surface 124 and urges seedupward within a seed and air mixing chamber 505 and through outlet port22. A second stream bypasses perforated surface 124 (and the seeddisposed thereon), passes upward through opening 134 and into air bypasschannel 130, and recombines with the first air stream at outlet port 22.With the second air stream not encumbered by seed and the crosssectional area of the bypass channel 130 appropriately dimensionedrelative to the seed and air mixing chamber 505, the force and/orvelocity of the second air stream through bypass channel will begenerally greater than that of the first air stream. Accordingly, whenrecombination of the streams occurs, the second stream will assist thefirst stream in discharging seed through outlet port 22. This air flowfeature is especially helpful in diluting seed flow to prevent blockagesand to reduce seed flow in the event of a blockage. This increased airflow more effectively maintains the seed and air flow at outlet 22 aswell as in downstream portions of the seed delivery system to preventblockages. This arrangement also facilitates the flow of seed throughthe seed and air mixing chamber 505 and reduces the possibility ofblockages within the seed entrainment device 12A. Thus, as the number ofseeds within the seed throat 503 and the seed and air mixing chamber 505increases and the air flow through this portion of the air entrainmentdevice decreases, air flow through the air bypass channel 130 increasesto clear the seed and air outlet port 22. With the seed and air outletport 22 cleared, additional seed can be discharged from the seed and airmixing chamber 505 into the seed and air outlet port 22 allowingadditional air to flow through the seed and air mixing chamber tofacilitate increased seed flow.

As was described in connection with FIG. 1, air is provided from airsource 20 into the air distribution unit 127A of each air entrainmentdevice 12A. Air entrainment device 12A includes an air flow channel 500within its air distribution unit 127A through which air from source 20is directed. The air flow channel 500 directs air into a chamber 502located beneath perforated surface 124 as shown in the sectional view ofFIG. 7. Meanwhile, seed is provided from hopper 10 through an input portto seed throat 503 and into the seed and air mixing chamber 505. Theseed is deposited on inclined wall or surface 504, which is dimensionedsuch that the seed is deflected onto perforated surface 124. Anexemplary angle for inclined surface 504 is on the order of 52° relativeto perforated surface 124. As seed is deflected onto perforated surface124, air exits chamber 502, agitates and mixes the seed, and causes theseed to rise within the air and seed mixing chamber 505. Simultaneously,air is allowed to pass through opening 134 and into bypass channel 130.Air-entrained seed from mixing chamber 505 is then recombined with theair stream from bypass channel 130 at outlet port 22. Seed and air thenflows out of outlet port 22 to an associated seed meter 36 through oneof the conduits 45 as shown in FIG. 1. A partition 506 separates theseed throat 503 from the seed and air mixing chamber 505. The length ofpartition 506 is selected so as to limit the rate of seed flow from theseed throat 503 to the seed and air mixing chamber 505 and preventbridging (blockage) of the seed within the seed and air mixing chamber,particularly when the planter is transiting a steep slope in a fieldbeing planted.

Also shown in FIG. 7 are details of the attachment of base 121A to airentrainment device 12A at hinge 128. Air entrainment device 12A includesplural bolts 507 to secure base 121A to the air entrainment device whenin use. Bolts 507 can be removed or released allowing base 121A to berotated in the direction of arrow A such that seed can be removed fromseed throat 503, mixing chamber 505, perforated surface 124, and/oroutlet port 22 for cleaning out the air entrainment device 12A. Airentrainment device 12A further includes a mounting flange 508 that canbe used to secure multiple air entrainment devices together, or in thecase of an end unit, to attach an end cover. Mounting flange 508includes apertures 509 adapted to receive bolts, pins, screws, etc., forsecuring plural air entrainment devices together.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a partially cutaway side elevationview of air entrainment device 12A in operation. An air source (notshown) provides air through flow channel 500 air distribution unit 127Ato air entrainment device 12A. Air flows from air distribution unit 127Athrough channel 501, into chamber 502, and upward through perforatedsurface 124. Air engages seed 601 that is deposited in seed throat 503,contacts angled surface 504, and is deflected onto perforated surface124. This seed 601 is lifted upward through air and mixing chamber 505.A second stream of air flows upward through air bypass channel 130 andis recombined with the air-entrained seed at outlet port 22. The seed isthen provided to a seed meter 36 through conduit 45. A trap insert 603is removably inserted in the air entrainment device 12A distribution soas to subtend its seed throat 503 to stop the flow of seed from hopper10 should the operator find it necessary, such as during transit overnon-planting area, or when its base 121A is lowered to clear blockage orremove a foreign object or unwanted material.

While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the broader aspects of Applicants'contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended tobe defined in the following claims when viewed in their properperspective based on the prior art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for delivering seed from one or morehoppers to a row unit of a planter including a plurality of row units,the method comprising: delivering seed from the one or more hoppers to aseed delivery device, said seed delivery device including an airpermeable surface and an air bypass channel; wherein said seed isdelivered to an area adjacent said air permeable surface; providingairflow to the seed delivery device such that a first air stream of theairflow is directed towards the permeable surface and seed, and a secondair stream is directed towards the air bypass channel, and wherein thefirst air stream combines with seed; and recombining the first andsecond air streams of the airflow and seed to deliver the seed to one ofthe row units of the planter.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising lifting at least some of the seed with the first air streamof the airflow before recombining the air streams.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, further comprising recombining the first air stream with theseed and the second air stream at an outlet port for delivering to oneof the row units.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the airflow providedto the seed delivery device is substantially normal to the direction ofthe first and second airstreams.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising increasing the velocity of the airflow at the seed deliverydevice before splitting the airflow between the first and second airstreams.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first air stream agitatesand lifts an amount of seed to direct the combined air stream and seedtowards an outlet.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the seed deliverydevice comprises a seed and air mixing chamber that directs the combinedseed and first air stream towards the outlet.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the first air stream and seed and the second air stream combinebefore leaving the seed delivery device via the outlet.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the airflow for the seed delivery device is provided bya fan.
 10. A method for delivering seed from one or more hoppers to aplurality of row units of a planter, the method comprising: providing aseed delivery device corresponding to each row unit of the planter, saidseed delivery device including an air permeable surface and an airbypass channel; adding seed from the one or more hoppers to each of theseed delivery devices, with the seed being positioned adjacent the airpermeable surface thereof; providing airflow to the seed delivery devicesuch that a first air stream of the airflow is directed towards thepermeable surface and seed, and a second air stream is directed towardsthe air bypass channel, and wherein the first air stream combines withseed; and recombining the first and second air streams of the airflowand seed to deliver the seed to one of the row units of the planter. 11.The method of claim 10, further comprising lifting at least some of theseed with the first air stream of the airflow before recombining the airstreams.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising recombining thefirst air stream with the seed and the second air stream at an outletport for delivering to the row unit associated with the seed deliverydevice.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising delivering theseed to the row unit via a conduit between the seed delivery device andthe row unit.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the seed delivery tothe row unit automatically stops when the row unit does not requireadditional seed delivered.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the seeddelivery device comprises a seed and air mixing chamber that directs thecombined seed and first air stream towards the outlet.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the first air stream and seed and the second airstream combine before leaving the seed delivery device via the outlet.17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first air stream and the seedand the second air stream combine after leaving the seed delivery devicevia the outlet.
 18. A method of delivering seed to a row unit of aplanter, the method comprising: providing a seed delivery devicecomprising a seed chamber having at least one air permeable surface, abypass channel, and an outlet; adding seed to the seed chamber of theseed delivery device; providing air to the seed delivery device, saidair separating into a first stream passing through the permeable surfaceto combine with seed, and a second stream passing through the bypasschannel; combining the first stream and seed with the second stream atthe outlet; and delivering the air and seed combination to one of therow units of the planter.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein each ofthe row units of the planter is associated with one of the seed deliverydevices of the planter.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the seeddelivery to the row unit is automatically stopped when the row unit hasenough seed.